Cost of Living in Boston, Massachusetts
In Boston, the median household income is $97,344 and the median gross rent is $2,147/mo, with a median home value of $731,700. Source: Census Bureau ACS, 2020-2024 estimates.
- Median household income
- $97,344
- Median gross rent
- $2,147/mo
- Median home value
- $731,700
- Population
- 666,442
How Boston compares to the Massachusetts average
| Measure | Boston, MA | Massachusetts statewide | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $97,344 | $103,960 | -6.4% |
| Median gross rent (monthly) | $2,147 | $1,762 | +21.9% |
| Median home value | $731,700 | $562,100 | +30.2% |
Statewide, Massachusetts prices average 105.8 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (2024), where the U.S. average is 100.
Housing affordability in Boston
- Salary needed for median rent
- $85,880
- Rent burden at median income
- 26.5%
- Est. affordable home price
- $355,105
So that $2,147/mo is 30% of gross income
Share of the median household income spent on median rent (30%+ = cost-burdened)
At median income, 6.67% 30-yr rate (FRED, 2026-08), 20% down, 28% front-end DTI
The median home value in Boston is $731,700 — +106.1% above what the median household income supports under these assumptions.
Estimates from documented formulas — see methodology. Not financial advice.
Cost of living in other Massachusetts cities
Compare Boston with other cities
- vs. Austin, TX
- vs. Baltimore, MD
- vs. Charlotte, NC
- vs. Chicago, IL
- vs. Columbus, OH
- vs. Dallas, TX
- vs. Denver, CO
- vs. Detroit, MI
- vs. El Paso, TX
- vs. Fort Worth, TX
- vs. Houston, TX
- vs. Indianapolis, IN
- vs. Jacksonville, FL
- vs. Las Vegas, NV
- vs. Los Angeles, CA
- vs. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
- vs. Memphis, TN
- vs. Nashville-Davidson, TN
- vs. New York, NY
- vs. Oklahoma City, OK
- vs. Philadelphia, PA
- vs. Phoenix, AZ
- vs. Portland, OR
- vs. San Antonio, TX
- vs. San Diego, CA
- vs. San Francisco, CA
- vs. San Jose, CA
- vs. Seattle, WA
- vs. Washington, DC
About this data
- American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates — data period 2020-2024, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities — data period 2024, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Federal Reserve Economic Data — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.